‘American Horror Story’ Season 6 News: Creepy Children Are In The Theme, Returning Cast

American Horror Story is now underway with the pre-planning phases of its Season 6 theme, which will in some way incorporate creepy children into the show. Although there have been no official reports yet as to what the season will be called, as classically done by the horror anthology series, the theme is being hinted at by show creator and executive producer, Ryan Murphy.

As revealed in a report from E! News, season 6 of American Horror Story really wants its fans to see the creepy side of children, instead of the horrors that happen to them. For AHS fans, this will not be the first time this has happened, either, as you may recall from last year on Hotel.

American Horror Story creator Ryan Murphy and members of the acting troupe for the anthology show answered some questions at PaleyFest and what they had to say was quite telling to fans of AHS.

One thing that had been circling the Internet lately was that Season 6 of American Horror Story was going to be all about Slender Man. That fan theory turned out to be false, and there have been many reports to debunk that rumor. Although the Season 6 theme has yet to be officially stated, it has been slowly revealed.

“If you look at horror tropes, the innocence of children, that sort of wide-eyed entryway into some world is always very dramatic and satisfying,” Murphy told American Horror Story fans at PaleyFest.

In his explanation of that premise, Murphy certainly does know what he is talking about. It is also a formula that has not been without sufficient precedent. Just consider why some people may have a fear of clowns. Stephen King certainly capitalized on it when he wrote his hit novel, It, which was headlined by a killer clown that lured kids in with promises of joy and subsequently mutilated them.

So, with that in mind, why wouldn’t Ryan Murphy want to take a page from that playbook? American Horror Story has been very successful with its year-to-year themes, largely in part because it has pushed the envelope for the amount of gruesome content that has featured large amounts of human depravity.

One thing American Horror Story is very well known for is its unique ability to put the viewer into a safe place, only to later melt that world into a disturbing scene of utter horror. Many American Horror Story fans have been left seriously disturbed by what they had just witnessed.

So, by taking Season 6 of American Horror Story and giving it the “creepy children” twist, Ryan Murphy, in effect, pulls off another trick that is so inherent to the AHS playbook. It disturbs its viewer to the core.

Murphy also said that every actor on the stage with him at PaleyFest will be extended an open invite to return to Season 6 of American Horror Story. Those actors included Sarah Paulson, Denis O’Hare, Kathy Bates, Matt Bomer, Finn Wittrock, Cheyenne Jackson, Wes Bentley, and Angela Bassett.

As for the official theme for next season, American Horror Story fans might be surprised to learn that there could be a Season 6a and a Season 6b, with two themes making their way into next fall.

“We’ve been working on two ideas at once, but I will tell you that every darling person up here that wants to come back can come back,” Murphy said, also referring to his cast on stage.

Who knows? Ryan Murphy could do more than take a rule from Stephen King’s playbook and possibly give him a season. Can any fans of the show envision an American Horror Story: Castlerock?